As we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns -- the ones we don't know we don't know. — Donald Rumsfeld, February 12 , 2002.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

. . . And Beer

(Reposted from a previous blogging effort)

It occurred to me some time ago that pretty much anything you can think of can be greatly improved by addition of the words "and beer." Compare, for example, "football" on its own to the superior situation of "football and beer." Other examples come readily to mind. Barbecuing is fun, but barbecuing and beer is better. Hot tub . . . hot tub and beer. Sex . . . sex and beer. Hiking . . . hiking and beer. See how it works?

It is true that some things are only marginally improved by the addition of beer. Curiously, all of these things (at least the ones I can think of) seem to begin with "ch." Cheerios, naturally, are only a little better with beer. Similarly, "church and beer" isn't quite the hoot you might hope for it to be. Chlamydia, with or without beer, pretty much sucks. But, truth be told, only doxycycline could improve chlamydia more than beer, and that speaks well for beer all the way around.

In my world, that makes "and beer" a phrase of considerably powerful magic. What else could transform something so dismal, such as a subway ride, into something so sublime, such as a subway ride and beer? And its amplifying effect on the good things - - like hockey, hockey and beer - - are just amazing.